Hyundai’s new sport-compact Veloster showed off a few new tricks Tuesday, with an exterior makeover from Ark and a turbocharged motor – and that was just one of the six total that are present for the 2011 SEMA show.

Hyundai pulled out every Veloster it could find for the SEMA show, and threw in a couple of Genesis coupes for good measure.
We already saw the Hurricane SC, but we were still hoping for word of an R-Spec model with the V8 from the Genesis sedan. Well, we got what we wanted.

The Hyundai Genesis RMR500 gets the Tau V8 with 450 hp, thanks to Rhys Millen's egging on, but we won't see it at dealerships in the near future, according to Hyundai. Company execs didn't rule it out; they just want to concentrate on the fuel-efficient Veloster and the upcoming Genesis redesign first.

The Genesis RMR500 is full of performance parts from AEM, K&N, Brembo and Sparco, but what we're interested in is the host of Rhys Millen Racing upgrades. The SEMA Genesis has a custom exhaust and a custom lightweight clutch and flywheel from RMR. The tuners also added a suede interior, a steering-column extension and a carbon-fiber body kit.

“From the moment I saw the Tau V8 engine in the Genesis R-Spec sedan, I knew it would be a perfect fit for the Genesis coupe, adding even more performance and power to the dynamic coupe,” said Rhys Millen. “The sleek and practical exterior modifications would allow this Genesis coupe to look good parked in your driveway or turning laps at the track.”

As expected, the Hyundai Veloster was well represented at the SEMA show, with six different versions on display. One was designed by Ark, another by PM Lifestyle, a rally version was courtesy of Rhys Millen and three REMIX technology cars with a bunch of cool interior customization rounded out the pack.

The Ark model sported a matte gray paint job with electric green accents. Carbon fiber was the material of choice in the spoiler, front lip, side skirts and grille. For performance, Ark added a turbocharger, bringing horsepower to 210, a custom oil cooler, a lightweight pulley system, big brakes and a full suspension setup including coil-over springs and an upper strut-tower brace.

Hyundai joined forces with PM Lifestyle and Universal Technical Institute to make the PM Lifestyle Veloster. It wore a bright blue paint job and was designed by students at UTI who are learning what it takes to be a mechanic.

“It's fairly simple to bolt equipment on and off the Veloster subframe,” said student Jayke Milton, “making it easy for people to make modifications in their own garages. Plus, the three doors on the Veloster give it a unique look, making it a very exciting, standout car.”

Simple indeed: PM and UTI bolted on an AEM cold-air intake, nitrous system, fuel-pressure regulator, coil-over suspension, custom exhaust and much more. The expected output is claimed to be 163 hp, but we'd bet it still retains its impressive mileage numbers.
Our favorite Veloster of the day was the RMR Veloster Rally, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. It received a custom hood, fenders and fascias, all from RMR, along with the familiar Red Bull Racing livery. The all-wheel-drive coupelike car looked ready to hit the dirt with racing wheels and tires.

Lastly, the REMIX Velosters featured gaming, technology and music versions loaded into the headliners with screens, CD turntables and DVD players. The REMIX Gaming Veloster had an Xbox360 in the back, the Music Veloster had two CD turntables with a mixer while the Technology car got a TV screen in the back, a BluRay player, a 3D camcorder and eight pairs of 3D glasses.

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I’d be lying if I said the Veloster is one of my favorite new cars out right now. I like the design and the compact size in relation to the power behind it, and I especially like the potential it carries for sportier versions. Luckily, it seems Hyundai is already ahead of me on this thought considering their Velosters on display for SEMA.

Considering the draw to sport compacts like the Veloster, I’m not surprised to see such ostentatious creations for SEMA – because you KNOW someone is going to see the gaming model and think “I should do that.”

Another one of my favorite Hyundai models happens to be the Genesis – in any form, really. Unfortunately, the R model is not something I will be able to pine over, save for it existing at SEMA. However, it’s not terribly uncommon for manufacturers to say one thing and do another, so I wouldn’t be surprised if somewhere down the road a variation of the RMR500 DOES get produced, albeit in small numbers (not that I would argue).